Stop mechanism for circular-knitting machines



. 0. LA ROCHE STOP MECHANISM FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES Filed t- 30. 3 924 2 Sheets-Sheet l QMLCM/V WJfW Dec. 27, 1927. 1,653,915

0. LA ROCHE STOP MECHANISM FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Oct. 30, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 wiiiwaa I diam pmZL W Z4. Mw f Patented Dec. 27, 1927.

runiren si-T. ares PAr-E rorFicE.

omvmn LABOCHE, or HAMILTON; ONTARIO, CANADA,'AssIeNoaor'oNn-Tmnn To. 'WILLIAM an. MAGILL, or namrmon: CANADA, AND ONE-THIRD "r FRANCIS x. 10mm, orflnownnngmassaennsnrrs, I

s'roe MECHANISM non crncunanpxmr'rme MACHINES.

.Applicatzion fi1ed'0c toher180, 1924. Sex'ia1.N0."746,7.89.

The .presentinvention relates to knittingmachines and more'particularly to aestop' mechanism for circular knitting :machines in wvhfieh theepnesser wvheelzis' rendered in;

operative; soithat castrofi' is "prevented upon breakage orzexhaustion ro'f-tthe yarn. Cir-;

anisms mechanism so that :the' throwing out of any one: presser wheel menelyi decreases the out.

pnt Iof 1the cmachiine temporarily without injuring'flie fabric or endangeringzi'h g chine :itself. i

One ohiectof the present-inventioniisto secure a uniformvitnd efiicient operationof the devices "for ipreventing cast=oif in the event'ofv breakage orenhaustion of the yarn.

I Anotlher 'bbjectJof .the invention 'is to :pro';

vide means for detecting the=presence of 1a bunch -or lother enlargement in the yarn,v

' with means for rendering the presserwheel inoperativ'e :and causing 'stopp (a-10f :the yarn feed uponthe. actuation of the detecting means. I

A further object of thepresent invention is to provide a knitting machine feeding two or more yarnsat any point, in which stoppage of the feed of all the -yarns is effected upon the occurrence of an 'albnormality in any one of them, such as by breakage of the yarn or the appearance of a bunch or other enlargement the-rein.

VV-ith this and other objects in View, as will hereinafter appear,'the present invention consists in the knitting machine hereinafter described and particularly defined in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a plan view of a portion of a tubular knitting machine illustrating the application of the present improvements thereto; Fig. Qis an elevation partly in section of the piesser wheel and the actuating means; Fig. 3 is a section of line 33 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a rear elevation of the actuating means in the position to which it is moved upon operation of a bunch detector; Fig. 5 is a plan "view of the presser wheel with the actuating means for rendering the presser wheel inoperative, and the bunch detecting devices; Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 5;

with suitable .yarn feeds 'Hfor r leach- Fig. 7 isa side elevation .of- .thebreakagie' detector; and Fig. :8 is a front elevationof the bunch detecting devices.

trated'and des cribedas embodied in a sprin neeetlle knitting machine 'suchl-as is n for knitting. tubular fabric. .-The "machinespringbea'rd needles .10, which "are carried 1n the usual needle cylinder, cooperate'with a stitch Wheel '12, a'landing wheel 14 and a presser wheel 16 in the l usual Two yarns 18 and 291 lead thnough a statiion ary gmde 22 to the stitch wheel first passing through bunch catchers or"detectors"24 and QG-avhich indicate the presence of an enlargement 1n=either yarn, and a breakage detector, indicated generallyat 28, which also serves as the Zactuating means for throwing the presser wheel out of 1 engagement with =the needles in case anrabnonnal-ityis indicated in either yarn. i

The presser wheel 16,- which has a series of pawl-engaging teeth 30 near-its periphery, is freely rotatable on a stud32 mounted on a presser block 34, the wheel being irotated by its engagement with the beards of the needles. The actuating means for rendering the presser Wheel inoperative comprises a frame 36 mounted on the stud. 32 and having a downwardly inclined ca-m projection 38 which engages with a similarly formed surface 40 of the presser block. In its normal position. as illustrated in Fig. 2, the frame 36 is stationary, but if for any reason the frame is caused to rotate in the direction of the presser Wheel, the cam 38 rides over the surface 40, thus lifting Iboth the frame and the presser wheel and carrying the presser wheel out of engagement with the beards of the needles. Accidental rotation'of the frame in the reverse direction is prevented by means of a projection 42 which abuts against a shoulder 44 on the presser block. The frame 36 has ainnpr'ight arm 46 provided with two cars 48 upon which is pivoted at 50 a pawl carrier 52. The pawl carrier is normally maintained in an upright position by means of a spring 54 coiled about a projection on one of the ears and taking against the frame 36 and the The present invention is hereinafter illusmove into .theipositionshown in Fig.7 to. engage with the presser Wheel teeth, but

are normally supported in upright position by the yarns engagingwithdrop'wiresfifi and 68 attached to the pawls 60 and 62 rcspectively. The awls are "restrained from accidental forwar movement by a stop wire 70 attached to the p'awl'oarrier; As shown in Figfi ti, the yarns lead through the eyes 56 and 58 of the pawl carrier and thence under the drop wires, which are normally ar ranged sufiiciently forward of the pawl car-' riertopermitj the pawls'to be supported by the yarns without' placing'excessive =ten sion upon -them. Attached to the'pawl' carrier and arranged above'thedrop wires in close proximity thereto is a.lint' guard 72 which serves to prevent the whipping of lint from the yarns about the drop wires. 'Each drop wire is formed with aadepending tip .74

which retains the yarn under the drop wire, the tip being inclined forward so that any loops which .mayform around: the drop wire may runvofl': A ledge 76.0ver which the yarns pass to the eyes 56 and 58 is secured to the machine by an arm 78 and is arranged directly in the rear of the pawl cari rier. It will be seen that upon breakage or exhaustionof either yarn the-corresponding pawl will drop into the position illustrated in Fig. 7 to engage with the teeth on the presser wheel. Continued rotation of the presser wheel by engagement with the needles therefore rotates the pawl carrier and also the frame 36, thereby lifting the presser wheel into a position to disengage it from the beards of the needles, as previously described. If breakage or exhaustion of one yarn only has been indicated, it is necessary to stop the feed of the other yarn also, in order that there may not be a feed of a single yarn to the stitch forming mechanism at this point; To this end a yarn gripper is provided, consisting of an arm secured to the pawl carrier and having an inturned end 82 provided with a V-shaped notch. The yarns normally pass through the'notch, as shown in Fig. 5, but out of actual contact with the gripper, so that the gripper has no effect during normaloperation of the machine, but upon rotation of the pawl carrier by ongagement of the pawls with the presser wheel the gripper also rotates to engage the yarns within the V-shaped notch, thus exerting a pull on the unbroken yarn and breaking it between the gripper and the stitch wheel.

It will be seen that the pawls 60 and 62 have provision for turning into engagement with the presser wheel about two axes at right angles to each other, corresponding to thev pivots 50 and 64, the movement-about the pivot '64, as alreadydescribed, being effected by failure of the yarn to hold the drop wirev in upright position. The rotation of the pawl carrier about thepivot 50 is brought about through the cooperation of the'bunch catching devices in the following manner: The bunch catchers 24 and :26 are pivoted at 84 upon an arm 86 attached to the machine, and are arranged out of the straight line between the guide 22 and the pawl carrier, so that the yarns-pass angularly through the pawl carrier andhave a tendency because of their tension to'ti-lt thepawl carrier about its pivot 50 into the position shown in Fig. 4, this "tilting 'movement, howevcigbeing prevented during the normal operation ofthe machine by the spring 54, Each-bunch catcher comprises a stationary guide plate 88 having a guide.

opening 90 through which the yarn passes. An adjustable plate92 pivoted to the guide plate determines the size of the-guide opening and the size of an enlargement which it may be permissible to pass. catcher has a tail 94 engaging with'an adjustable collar 96 on the arm 86. The bunch catcher is made quite delicate in operation, so that the'presence' of a small bunch in the yarn may be sufiicient to swing it into the position shown in broken lines in Fig. 6 without placing undue stress on the yarn. The readiness with which the bunch catchers tend to move may be adjusted by varying the position of the collar 96. \Vlfcn one of the bunch catchers swings forward it gripsthe yarn by means of a yarn gripper 98 having a V-shaped notch similar to that provided on the gripper 80. The engagement of the yarn by the gripper 98 places an increased tension on the yarn, which causes a sufficient straightening of the yarn botwecn the bunch catcher and the stationary guide 22 to tilt the pawl carrier 52 against the action of the spring This tilting of the pawl carrier causes engagement of the pawls with the presser wheel, thereby rotating the frame 36 with the prcsserwheel in exactly the same manner as occurs when either pawl drops into engagement with the presser by breakage or exhaustion of the thread. The presser wheel is thereby (lisengaged from the beards of the needles, thus preventing cast-oil. In this case it is especially necessary that tlie yarn feed be stopped in order that the enlargement may not subsequently find its way into the fabric, and for this purpose the yarn gripper 30, by virtue of its connection with the pawl carrier, moves to break both yarns between the gripper and the stitch whccl.

I claim:

'1. A. knitting machine having", in (:OlHlJi nation, a plurality of needles, a stitch wheel,

Each bunchi ltltl in the yarn feed, means operated bysuch engagement :to :prevent cast-off, and means for positively'breaking:theyarn.

'12. A. :knitting imachine. having, 'in =combination, a plurality of needles, a stitch wheel, a presser wheel normally rrotated -by-;engagement: with the needles, yarn feeding/means, means adapted "to'iengage with the ypresser wheel *and tonbe rotated thereby upon the occurrence of an ahnormalityxin the. :yarn feed, imeans for .preventing cast-ofi', and means:for'breakingrthe'yarn upon the occurrence of-suchsrotation. 1

3. 'A" knitting machine having, in- 'combination, a plurality'of needles, a stitch wheel,

' a presser wheel 'normallyaotated by engagement with the :needles, imeans for feeding a plurality of 'iya-rns atwany :point, means adapted Ito engage [with the presser wheel and to be rotated thereby .in itlle' event of abnormality in-any yarn feed, means. operated by =such rotation (for :preventirig "cash ofi', andnmeansengaging"with' an of :the yarns for positively breaking theisame.

4. 18; knitting machine 'having,-in combination, apluralityof needles, a stitch wheel, apresscr wheel, yarn' feeding'rmeans, a bunch detector, meansznormally 'out of -.engagemen'bwith the presser wheel :and havingiprovision for movement "about two=axcs into engagement -=with rthe presser wheel, means 'ipermitting movement about one of the axes upon 'yarn breakage, means 'permitting movement aboutrthe-other axis upon the occurrence .ofuan enlargement in the yarn, 'means for preventing cast-0E, and means for positively 'breaking the yarn 'upon engagement cf-said uneans with the presser wheel.

5. A knittingvmachine having, in-combination, aplurality of needles, a stitch wheel, a presser wheel normally rotated by engagement with the needles, means for feeding a plurality of yarns at any point, a bunch detector, actuating means normally maintained out of-engagement with 'the presser wheel and having provision for movementabout two axes into engagement with the presser wheel, -means permitting movement of the actuating means about one axis upon breakage of any yarn, means permitting movement about the other axis upon the occurrence of an enlargement in any yarn, meansforpreventing cast-off, and means for effecting stoppage of the feed of all such yarns upon engagement of the actuating means with the presser wheel.

6. .Aknittingmachinehaving, in combination, a plurality of beard needles. a stitch wheel, a presser wheel normally rotated by engagement with the needles, yarn feeding means,.a bunch catcher, actuating means normally maintained out-ofaengagement. with the presser wheel and havingprovision :for movement about two axes into engagement with :the presser wheel, means permitting movement:about one axis upon yarn break age, means permitting movement about-'the other axis on actuation of the bunch catcher, and means for removing the ipresser wheel from "engagement "with the rbea-rds 'of ithe needles to-prevent cast-off.

7. A'knitting machine having,in combinatio.n, a plurality of needles, a stitch wheel, a premer wheel, .yarn :feeding means, a bunch catcher, actuating :means normally maintained out'of engagement with the presser wheel andihaving-provision for engagementtherewith by movement. about twoaxes and adapted to rotate with the presser wheel while inengagement therewith, and :means for-removing the presser wheel'from engagement with cthe beards of the needles upon rotation of the actuating means to prevent cast-off.

8. A knitting machinehaving, in combination, a plurality of needles, a stitch wheel, a presser Wheel, yarn feeding means, and actuating means adapted to engage with the presser wheel and to be'rotated thereby upon the occurrence of an abnormality in the yarn feed, said means having a cam surface cooperating with a stationary part of the ma chine to-efiect lifting of the :presser wheel out of engagement with the needles to prevent cast-off. v

9. A knitting machine having, in combination, a plurality of needles, a stitch wheel, yarn ifeeding means, a presser wheel, a stud upon which the presser wheel is mounted, a normally stationary frame mounted on the stud and having a cam surface cooperating with a stationary part of the machine to lift the frame and presser wheel upon rotation of the former, and-means for rotating the frame upon the occurrence of an abnormality in the yarn feed.

.10. A knitting machine having, in co1nbination, a plurality of needles, a stitch wheel, yarn feeding means, a presser wheel, a stud upon which the presser wheel is mounted, a normally stationary frame mounted on the presser wheel stud and having a cam surface cooperating with a stationary part of the machine to lift the frame and presser wheel upon rotation of the former. and means carried by the frame normally out of engagement with the presser wheel and adapted to engage with the presser wheel to rotate the frame upon the occurrence of an abnormality-in the yarn feed.

11. A knitting machine having. in combination, a plurality of needles. a stitch wheel, a presser wheel engaging with the needles and having a series of pawl-engaging teeth, yarn feeding means, a pawl normally maintained outof engagement with the presser .wheel and adapted to move into en-1' gagement therewith upon the'occurrence of the presser wheel. 15-.

, 12. A knittmg'machine having, in com bination,- a plurality ofneedl'es; astitchwheel, a presser wheel normally.rotatedby the needles and rovidedwith' pawl-engaga ingte'eth, yarn eedi-ng ineans arzpawl normally. maintained out :Of engagement xwith the presser-wheel, anbrmally stationary pawl.

carrier adapted to berrotatedi by the presser wheel' upon engagement of. the pawl :w-ith the presser-wheel, meansziforrcansing engage-- ment ofthe pawl and presser wheel upon the occurrence of an I abnormality in-:the yarn feed, and means for movingthe, presser wheel.

from engagement; with the,- needles and-'rfor positively breaking the-yarn upon 'Tota-tion ofJt-he pawlcarrier; w 2

13. A knitting machine having, in combination, .a plurality of needles. 'a- :stitch wheel,

a presser wheel normallyrotated: by the needles andsha-vlng a series of pawl-engag mg teethy-yarn feeding-means, a =bunch catcher,-"a pawlmormal-l ymaintained out of' engagement with the-=presser wheel and h a ving provision for movement about two axes into engagement ewith the presserwlieel. means permitting movement of'ithe pawl about one axis upon break-age of the yarn. means permitting movement about the-other axis upon actuation .of the bunch catcher. and means for moving the presser wheel from engagement withtheneedles and for breaking the yarn upon such actuation of the pawl. to engage thepresser wheel/ I 14. A knitting machine having, in combination, a plurality ofneedles; a stitch wheel, a presser wheel normally rotated by the needles, yarnfeeding means. a pawl carrier, a pawl pivoted to the pawl carrier. a drop wire secured to the pawl and adapted to maintain the pawl out of engagement with the presser wheel by the yarn,- means for mounting the pawl carrier having provision for a lateral tipping movement of the carrier to engage the pawl with the presser wheel, a bunch catcher operating upon the occurence of' an enlargement in the yarn to effect the tipping movement of the pawl carrier, the pawl. carrier being adapted to rotate with thepresser wheel upon engagement of the pawl with the presser wheel. and means for lifting the presser-wheel from engagement with the needles and for breaking the yarn upon such rotation of the pawl carrier.

15. A knitting machine having. in combination, a plurality of needles. a stitch wheel. a presser wheel rotated by the needles and having a. series of pawl-engaging teeth,

therewith, a bunch catcher, means for effectingthe tipping movement of the pawl carrier upon actuation-of the bunch catcher, means-for lifting the presser wheel out of engagement with the needles, and meansvfor breaking all :of the yarns at that point upon rotation of the pawl carrier.

'16; A knitting machine having, in combi-- nation, a plurality of. needles, stitch form-.

ing devices,-yarn feeding means, means forpreventing cast-off acting upon the occurrence of an-abnormality in the yarn feed, and a yarn gripper normally out of the path of the'feed and adapted to be actuatedby the castoif preventing means for positively.

breaking the yarn.

17. -A knittmg machine having, in combi nation, a plurality of needles, stitch formingdevices, means for feeding a plurality of yarnsat any point, cast-off preventing means'acting upon the occurence of an abnormality in any yarn; a yarn gripper normally out of the path of the yarns, and means for actuating the yarn gripper for effecting stoppageof the feed of all such yarns.

18. A knitting machine having, in combination, a plurality of needles, a stitch wheel, a presser wheel, yarn feeding means, a breakage detector, a bunch detector, a yarn gripper normally out of the path of the feed, and means for actuating the yarn gripper to break the yarn between the presser wheel and the stitch wheel upon actuation of the breakage detector or the bunch detector.

19. A knitting machine having, in combination, a plurality of needles, a stitch wheel, a presser wheel, means for feeding a plurality of yarns at any point, a breakage detector and a bunch catcher for each yarn. a yarn gripper normally out of the path of the yarns. and means for operating the yarn gripper to engage the yarns for effecting stoppage of the feed of all such yarns upon actuation of the breakage detector or the bunch catcher in any feed.

20, A knitting machine having, in combination, a plurality of needles, stitch forming devices, yarn feeding means, means for detecting the presence of an abnormality in the yarn feed. a yarn gripper comprising an arm having a V-shaped notch normally maintained out of the path of the feed, and

means for .actnatin-gnthe gripper:- upon detection .of an abnormality for. positively breaking. the yarn.;.

21.. A knitting i machine having, ini-combie nation, a plurality of needles,-a stitch wheel, aapresser Wheel normally; rotated-by the needles, yarn- .:feed;ing-, means,- means for '(IlQ-r tecting: the presence 'of an: abnormality in the yarn feed, a yarn gripper .normally out ofrtheupath of !the feed, and means foinengaging the yarn grippen withthe presses wheell to. rotate the fformer to grip and break the yarn upon indication of an abnormal yarn feed.

22. A knitting machine having, in combination, a plurality of needles, a stitch wheel, a presser wheel, yarn feeding means, actuating means adapted to engage the presser wheel and to be rotated thereby upon the occurrence of an abnormality in the yarn feed, means for removing the presser wheel from engagement with the needles upon rotation of the actuating means, and a yarn gripper connected with the actuating means and adapted to grip and break the yarn.

23. A knitting machine having, in combination, a plurality of needles, a stitch wheel, yarn feeding means, a presser wheel provided with pawl-engaging teeth, a pawl carrier, a pawl pivoted upon the pawl carrier and having a drop wire normally supported by the yarn to hold the pawl out of engagement with the presser wheel, a bunch catcher, means for engaging the pawl with the presser wheel upon actuation of the bunch catcher, the pawl carrier being adapted to rotate with the presser wheel upon engagement of the pawl and presser wheel, and a thread gripper secured to the pawl carrier and adapted to grip and break the thread upon rotation of the pawl carrier.

24. A knitting machine having, in combination, a plurality of needles, a stitch wheel, a presser wheel normally engaging with the needles, means for feeding a plurality of yarns at any point, actuating means adapted to engage with the presser wheel and to be rotated thereby upon the occurence of an abnormality in any yarn, means for lifting the presser wheel from engagement with the needles, and a yarn gripper connected with the actuating means and adapted to grip and break any unbroken yarns at that point upon rotation of the actuating means.

25. A knitting machine having, in combination, a pluralityof needles, a presser, a yarn feed, a drop wire normally supported by the yarn, means for rendering the presser inoperative upon failure of the yarn to sup port the drop wire, and a lint guard arranged above the drop wire and in close proximity thereto to prevent whipping of lint from the yarn around the drop wire.

26. A knitting machine having, in combination, a plurality of needles, stitch form demoe -yarn! feeding. means, a; bunch catcher having provision-for placing an'increased tensionronitheiyarn uiponi-the occurrence OEE'HII enlargement in the yarn, means actuated; by such. increased tension for preventing=cast-off; and meansfor breakingthe yarn 1.xr.

A knitting machine having, incombi natioin a plurality of needles, a stitch: wheel,- zu'presserwheel, yarn feeding" means, a bunch catcher having provision for placing an: increased i tension on: the yarn. upon the occurrence of an enlargement in the yarn, actuating means normally out of engagement with the presser wheel and operated by such increased tension to move into engagement with the presser wheel, means for rendering the presser wheel inoperative, and means for effecting stoppage of the yarn feed.

28. A knitting machine having, in combination a plurality of needles, stitch forming devices, yarn feeding means, a bunch catcher having provision for placing an in creased tension on the yarn upon the occur-- rence of an enlargement in the yarn, an actuating device through which the yarn passes angularly from the bunch catcher to the stitch forming devices and adapted to be tipped laterally by the increased yarn tension, a presser wheel normally out of engagement with the actuating device and adapted to be engaged thereby when the latter is tipped, and means for preventing cast-off and for breaking the yarn.

29. A knitting machine having, in combination, a plurality of needles, stitch forming devices, means for feeding a plurality of yarns at any point, a guide through which the yarns pass to the stitch wheel, a bunch catcher for each yarn adapted to place an increased tension on the yarn upon the occurrence of an enlargement therein, an actuating device through which the yarns pass angular-1y from the bunch catchers to the guide and adapted to be tipped laterally by an increase in tension on any yarn, a presser wheel normally out of engagement with the actuating device and adapted to be engaged thereby when the latter is tipped, means for preventing cast-off, and means for effecting stoppage of the feed of all such yarns upon engagement of the actuating device with the presser wheel.

30. A knitting machine, having, in combination, a plurality of needles, a stitch wheel, a presser, an arm attached to the machine, a guide pivoted to the arm and having an opening suilicicnt to pass yarn of normal size therethrough, the guide being adapted to be swung forward upon the occurrence of a bunch in the yarn, a yarn gripper on the guide adapted to engage the yarn when the guide is swung forward to place an increased tension on the yarn, and means operated by such increased tension for rendering the presser wheel inoperative.

31. A knitting machine having, in combination, a plurality of needles, a stitch wheel, a presser wheel having a series of pawl-engaging teeth, yarn feeding means, a bunch catcher through which the yarn passes, a pawl normally supported by the yarn out of engagement with the presser wheel, a pawl 10 carrier through which the yarn passes angularly from the bunch catcher and adapted for a lateral tipping movement to engage the pawl with the presser wheel, the bunch catcher-being adapted to place an increased tension on the yarn upon the occurrence of an enlargement in the yarn t0 efiect'the lateral tipping movement of the pawl car rier, means for rendering the presser inoperative upon engagement of the pawl therewith, and a yarn gripper for breaking the 20 yarn.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

OLIVIER LA ROCHE. 

